Magpie Mover

We have on paper 4 excellent defenders and then Trippier, Schar and Burn as back ups. Yet as a unit together they are verging on being absolutely hopeless, tonight being the perfect illustration. Its been suggested frequently on here that the problem is with the three midfielders in front of them and the space they leave behind them in between the lines. So why will our illustrious leader not buy a specialist defensive midfielder? Too stubborn or too thick? If it's something else it's a mystery to most people.

Howe coaches the team and Tindall is meant to be a defensive coach, I think they have some responsibility here.

Excellent result for us as long as we beat the mackems.

This might just about be the most important game of the season so far for us. Brentford get 3 points we are probably looking at 8th at best.

He needs a new contract now and a salary matching our highest paid players or somebody will come in and snatch him.

Newcastle United's Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, 25, is on Manchester United's shortlist of possible midfield targets. (Sun) Newcastle are in the market for a new striker this summer, despite spending £124m on the position last year, while Cologne and Germany U21s winger Said El Mala, 19, is also on the Magpies' radar. (Mail+ - subscription required), external Newcastle have stepped up their interest in Monaco's highly rated Senegal midfielder Lamine Camara, 22, in recent months. (The I - subscription required), external Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier, 35, could yet receive a new contract at St James' Park as Arsenal continue to court fellow English full-back Tino Livramento, 23. (Football Insider)

This is now a more important game for Chelsea than PSG as they just shat their pants.

The premier league in the poop. Probably Arsenal and us the only one's left this time next week.

The quality of the cross for the goal is completely beyond Elanga and is why even with all his faults if Murphy is fit he should start.

That's really lazy by Joe

The lack of quality among the attacking players we have is ultimately going to prevent us getting to the next level.

I suspect that a Schar Burn combo is still the best we have. Thiaw and Botman might look better players but our defensive record suggests otherwise.

Nick's problem is Eddie Howe who hasn't got a clue what to do with him.

Opinions banded about on here about our players normally verge between they are better than they actually are or worse. Hall is not world class, he's young and learning. He's not the best fullback in the premier league. Has has good qualities and poorer ones. If you could merge him and Tino into one player you would have a very good player, Hall is technically gifted, good on the ball, attacks well and crosses well, however defensively he is relatively slow, not very physical and tactically still naive. Tino is a physical monster, fast, athletic and as good as any fullback defensively, but going forward he's Wan Bissaka, no real quality and he can't cross. Both can improve but at the moment they have major flaws in their games.

After Tuesday it might have.

Nobody will ever persuade me that Willock is any good.

That is just too fucking easy. What is Howe thinking with no changes

Apart from being a body in midfield Wolt offers nothing. Osula is much better from the RW, we look a mess.

It could of course be complete bullshit. However I think it's a warning to us that if City want Tino they'll get him, Arsenal or Liverpool want Gordon ditto, Tonali anyone who will increase his salary, have to hope nobody wants Hall or Miley as that would be tragic. Know your place in the food chain.

Manchester United want Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, 28, to replace midfielder Casemiro this summer - with the 34-year-old United midfielder endorsing his Brazil team-mate. (AS)

A game like this is a perfect illustration of why goalkeepers like Ramsdale are finished at this level, too small, too weak, not commanding at all.

This set piece football is boring as fuck this season.

We are going to get one but not the one we want. We won't be replacing the poor players with upgrades we will be trying to find replacements for the good players we will lose. With no European football there will be an exodus.

Ndiaye has more technical ability then our entire team put together. We have Lewis Hall and 10 athletes.

Nice lucky deflected goal.